Gas prices up ahead of Christmas travel

If you're planning to hit the road this week to visit family, you'll shell out more cash to get there.

GassBuddy.com is reporting the average gas price in Illinois rose 7.8 cents per gallon last week. The national average was up just 2.2 cents per gallon.

Gas prices have dipped significantly over the past few months, so the recent hike has drivers wondering why.

"I think they jump their prices up before every holiday it seems like," Eric Davidson said. "Just because there's a lot of people traveling, they have the opportunity. But I feel before every holiday they seem to raise the gas prices."

Despite the dip in gas prices in recent months, the average price per gallon in Illinois is still 8.8 cents higher than it was this time last year.